New Orleans, LA., January 4, 2015 - Ashé Cultural Arts Center is excited to announce events happening at the center in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. From lectures to art to music, audiences will be taken in by these powerful tributes. Dr. King's messages of peace, unity and triumph resonate loudly as we struggle with current events of violence and hatred sweeping the nation. The King tributes emit pride, calm and provocative thinking, and should be looked at as soothing balm during the healing process.

To aid the process, on Thursday, January 15, 2015, the Second Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.-César Chavez Commemorative Luncheon takes place. The event will be held at Ashé, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., New Orleans; noon until 2:00 p.m. Speakers for the occasion are Dr. Timothy K. Eatman, Assistant Professor of Higher Education and Director for Research of Imagining America at Syracuse University; and Ruben Solis Garcia, a labor leader, farm worker advocate and founder of the University Sin Fronteras. The speakers will focus on race relations, current social issues, cultural similarities and future directions. A musical tribute, presented especially for this event, will open the activities. Tickets are only $25. Table reservations are encouraged for groups of 8 or 10. Tickets can be purchased online at https://bitly.com/KingChavez2015 or at Ashé. For more information, call (504) 569-9070.

Meanwhile, the National Conference of Artists invites the public to attend its 17th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Art Exhibition, also held at Ashé, 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. The exhibition kicks off with a reception and panel discussion to be held Saturday, January 17, 2015, from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. The theme this year is Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom. Artists were asked to create pieces that directly connected to the theme. The exhibit runs through March 7, 2015; 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. It is free and open to the public. For more information on the art exhibition, contact Charlie Johnson at (504) 715-8137 or ncaneworleans@gmail.com.

Wrapping up the celebratory period, is Ashé's annual Lift Every Voice and Sing Concert, a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It happens on Sunday, January 18, 2015, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. This community-sing features African-American liberation music, as well as freedom and healing songs from the Civil Rights Era. Songstress Michaela Harrison assembles a slate of amazing local artists and musicians to share their musical testimonies. The audience is invited to sing along. The family-friendly concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call (504) 569-9070.

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To schedule a radio or television appearance, or an interview, please contact Viola T. Johnson Blunt at (504) 813-9008.